Introducing a new product in the dairy foods industry is “a tough business,” says Randall Mitchell, chief executive officer of Smoky Mountain Cheese, Seymour, Tenn. “There’s nothing easy about it.”
Like most entrepreneurs, the Navy veteran and former commercial cabin builder encountered numerous challenges—cost, regulations, retailers wary of adding a new SKU to their inventory—while bringing his Smoky Mountain Beer Cheese Spread, a combination of processed cheese from Wisconsin and premium beer, to market. But Mitchell knew from making the tasty snack for nearly 20 years for himself, family and friends that he had a one-of-a-kind product worth the effort and investment.